QUEEN Camilla has praised King Charles for showing remarkable courage in standing up to cancer.

Told he was an inspiration to others, she declared: “Look at my husband. Nothing stopped him.”

Queen Camilla has opened up on brave King Charles’ cancer battle Credit: Getty

Her Majesty told that his brave response to the illness led to an increase in users of a cancer charity Credit: PA

She also opened up about her anguish on a 2024 visit to cancer charity Maggie’s — when she had to keep quiet about his illness before it was made public.

Camilla has revealed defiant King Charles declared, “This is my way, I am going to cope with it” when he was diagnosed with cancer.

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And Her Majesty was told that his brave response to the illness led to an increase in users of a cancer charity.

Camilla made her comments in a film celebrating 30 years of the Maggie’s drop-in centres.

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The King’s own cancer treatment is understood to be continuing in a positive direction.

The Queen was delighted when told the organisation — which she has been president of since 2008 — has seen a 12 per cent increase in male users since he went public.

The charity’s chief executive Dame Laura Lee DBE told her of “the amount of people that come in because of the King being so open about his diagnosis and having a productive life”.

Camilla said: “Look at my husband. Nothing stopped him. He just said, ‘This is my way I am going to cope with it’.”

She added: “It had never really come back to roost at home, and suddenly your husband is diagnosed and you think, ‘Goodness’.”

Speaking about her visit in January 2024, the Queen said: “I remember coming to see Maggie’s just after the King had been ­diagnosed and nobody could say anything at the time. That was quite difficult.

“I almost said something but I felt it wasn’t the time to say.

“I looked at everybody who was suffering and all the relations and I think it made me realise even more how important these places were.”

Dame Laura said: “It was just a week before it became public and the courage that that must have taken for you to make that visit.”

Camilla replied: “I was just longing to let it out but obviously I couldn’t.”

Dame Laura went on: “The more open that you are when you talk about it, the less scary cancer can become. If you just keep the lid on it, it can build up. On that visit, you did sit with centre visitors and the empathy and support you were able to offer . . . ”

Camilla said: “I was almost questioning them. I didn’t want to pry too deeply. But normally when I went in, I was just talking to them. But, I don’t know, I felt it was much more deep.”

Camilla opened up about her anguish on a visit to a cancer charity when she had to keep quiet about his illness, above in a film celebrating the Maggie’s drop-in centres

The King’s treatment is understood to be continuing in a positive direction, above Charles on duty at Balmoral Credit: PA

Dame Laura confirmed: “The number of male users of Maggie’s has gone up. We had a 12 per cent increase of men coming in.”

The visit remembered by Camilla was the official opening of the Maggie’s centre at the Royal Free Hospital in London at the end of January 2024.

The King was diagnosed with cancer that month and went public with it in February.

The Princess of Wales was also diagnosed with cancer following major abdominal surgery in January 2024. She began chemotherapy treatment in late February and went public with it in March.

Kate revealed in January 2025 she was in remission and cancer-free.

Charles returned to public-facing roles in April 2024, less than three months after his treatment began.

And it was business as usual yesterday when he greeted members of the public outside Balmoral after inspecting the Balaklava Company, his Royal Guard as he begins his summer stay at the castle.

The kilt-wearing King also met Shetland pony Cpl Cruachan IV, mascot of the Royal Regiment of Scotland, during the inspection.

The kilt-wearing King met Shetland pony Cpl Cruachan IV, mascot of the Royal Regiment of Scotland, during an inspection Credit: PA

Charles returned to public-facing roles in April 2024, less than three months after his treatment began Credit: AFP

The Queen had previously said her workaholic husband “won’t slow down and won’t do what he’s told” even after his diagnosis.

In April last year, he said in recognition of community-based cancer support groups: “Each diagnosis, each new case, will be a daunting and at time frightening experience for those individuals and their loved ones.

“But as one among those statistics myself, I can vouch for the fact that it can also be an experience that brings into sharp focus the very best of humanity.

“It has certainly given me an even deeper appreciation of the extraordinary work undertaken by the remarkable organisations and individuals gathered here, many of whom I have known, visited and supported over the years.”

Last December, he revealed his treatment would be reduced which he described as “both a personal blessing and a testimony to the remarkable advances made in cancer care in recent years”.

He added in his message supporting the Stand Up To Cancer campaign: “Throughout my own cancer journey, I have been profoundly moved by what I can only call the ‘community of care’ that surrounds every cancer patient — the specialists, the nurses, researchers and volunteers who work tirelessly to save and improve lives.”

The seven-minute film featuring Camilla, made by Buckingham Palace in conjunction with Maggie’s, features patients who have been supported by the charity.

It promotes services for relatives — especially of men who may be more reluctant to seek help.

Dame Laura said: “It was a huge privilege to sit in conversation with our president, Her Majesty the Queen, as part of a film to mark 30 years of Maggie’s supporting people impacted by cancer, and to hear her speak so powerfully of her emotions when visiting our Royal Free centre, while knowing about His Majesty’s diagnosis, is a huge honour.

“The King’s openness about his diagnosis has undoubtedly helped others to be more open themselves and to hear the Queen’s completely understandable and natural response as a wife, shines a light on why it is so important that family and friends get the support they need.

“Everyone at Maggie’s is incredibly grateful to have Her Majesty the Queen as our president and this extraordinary film not only helps us mark 30 years of providing transformational cancer support, it also helps us look to the future and our ambition of having 60 centres across the UK.”

Earl’s Diana book

By Ed Southgate
EARL Spencer has written a tell-all memoir about his sister Princess Diana’s life and death.
Swan Song: Diana, My Sister is described as an “extraordinarily moving” personal account.
It is understood to cover her childhood, 15-year marriage to Charles and the chaotic days after her fatal car crash in Paris in 1997.
Earl Spencer, 62, said he wants to show her as a “dynamic character, full of love, charisma and self-doubt, who gave life a hell of a go, and left the world a far better place, despite exiting the stage while so young”.
Out here on September 22 ahead of next year’s 30th anniversary of her death, it will be published globally and translated into 12 languages.